Jumper
by Autumnsonlyone
Summary: Who's on a rooftop where they shouldn't be? Read and find out


Jumper:

He sat there on the ledge of the rooftop thinking, contemplating. He was tired of acting like everything was fine with him regarding his homelife, school, football, the girl that he really liked, the squad, everything. He was so tired of being put in a position of responsibility. He really resented everyone taking him for granted. Everyone thinking that if THEY were in a jam, not to worry, because Hank would take care of it for them. It wasn't just his parents who felt that way. His friends both in and out of EMS felt that way. He was just so sick of it. His mind wandered to examples for everyone on the squad.

Val wanted him to help her study for the French Test. She hadn't had time to get together with him and study yet and the test was in three days. He had a full load of classes to study for as well, so far it had been hit and miss. He wondered what Val was going to without him to ask to help her study all the time. It wouldn't be so bad if she would reciprocate once in awhile, like asking him if he'd like her to help him study. Hank wouldn't mind that.

Tyler. While a nice guy, Tyler had a habit of making commitments and then bailing last minute leaving him to pick up the pieces. Just like yesterday at the end of the shift. Tyler had a ton of paperwork to do but promised his folks that he would meet them for a late dinner. He'd just gotten up and walked out, asking Hank to please finish the last 2 pages of the form. Hank Wondered what Tyler would do when he found out that he had to pick Hank's extra shifts.

Jamie though, Hank felt that he goofed off way too much and often slacked in tiny ways. While he was always a professional in the field, His behavior at School and at the station left a lot to be desired. Hank really had no actual problem with Jamie. He'd stayed late a few times to help him clean up or stock stuff or anything that needed done. One night they were up ALL night doing the filing because it had gotten messed up and Alex was trying to get the stuff typed into the computer for easier access.

Although Hank felt that they all took him for granted way too often, he really liked them all and knew that he could depend on them for just about anything. At least anything in the sense of the medical field related to the job. Hank never confided any of this to any of the others. What would be the point? It would be a simple case of in one ear and out the next.

It was even the same with his parents. He had been going round and round with his father about the major that he had decided on and where he had decided he was going to college. His father wanted him to focus on football and go to school for Sports medicine. Hank didn't want that. He was going to college for Medicine. Hank had wanted to be a doctor. His father was just being a father and trying to run Hanks life, while Hank was being the typical teenager and testing his wings by telling his father no.

Hank thought about what had brought him to this point. The point to where he was sitting on the ledge of a rooftop, comtemplating suicide. Trying to gather the courage to jump. End it all. Hank found that while he was a little nervous to actually do it, He was numb to everything else. He could hear the sounds all around him, could indentify them. But he didn't care anymore.

He could hear footsteps behind him on the rooftop. He didn't have to turn around to recognize the steps. He knew it would be the others from the squad. Guess someone called them and the police for a jumper. He figured that it was probably some of the Paramedics from the station that they all worked at. He didn't care- They all knew him, or Rather thought that they did. Hank took a deep breath.

"Hank? My god, Hank what are you doing up here?!" Hank startled slightly. It was Val. Looked like God was really getting after him for this. They had sent HIS squad on this call. Well Hank found that he really didn't care anymore so he didn't answer Val. Hank thought he was starting to become really good at not caring.

"Hank. Come on Man talk to us please. Otherwise the police are going to come barging in here and take you down by force. We don't want that you are our friend and part of our team. Please man." Tyler sounded a little scared. Good. Hank stood up, turned around then sat back down. He looked right at them. He could see Jamie by the gurney. Tyler was squatting down by him not too close, but not too far away and Val was standing a short distance away. Still he didn't speak.

"Why don't you guys back off and let me try. I have hung out more with him then either of you in the last few weeks. I think I understand where he's coming from." Jamie came over and sat down on the ledge as well, Not right next to Hank, but not too far away. Surprised Tyler and Val backed up a little.

"Jamie." It was only one word, but it was enough. Jamie was ok with the one word answer. Jamie relaxed a little bit and lit up a cigarette. Taking a drag, he nodded to Hank. Taking in Hanks dirty appearance and disheveled clothes, Jamie couldn't help but grin and let a tiny laugh escape.

"Hank. You stink and need a bath. You really should start thinking about wearing grubby clothes that you can throw away the next time you are going to think about going crawling around on a rooftop. These places are filthy and disgusting man and destroy any clothes they come into contact with. Want to talk about it?" Hank shook his head.

"Jamie. Why bother? No one's going to listen. It's like I said in the store room the other night. In one ear out the other. It's like I could stand up and take a leap off of this room and no one would care. Of course everyone would be shocked, but would anyone really actually care?" Jamie nodded.

"I can understand that Hank. I really can. And I know what you are talking about. I also gave you some good advice that night, but you didn't take it. You need to tell them all what's bothering you. All you are doing is keeping it locked up inside. It's like milk. Good until it starts to spoil. You know that. But I'm not going to push it. When you want to talk- You will. Untill then I'm going to sit here and finish this smoke. Alex won't let me smoke around the station." Hank let out a small snort.

While they were talking, Val and Tyler had worked to ensure that the poilce weren't getting up to the rooftop. They kind of understood that Hank would flip if he saw the police. He was at the moment, though they didn't want to admit it, an EDP. Emotionally Disturbed Person. They didn't want to set him off. They were therefore startled when Hank stood up.

"You know what Jamie you are right. I need to tell everyone what's going on and what it is that is bothering me. I refuse to go to the hospital, Instead I want to go to the station. Call my parents have them meet us there. And Alex. And you guys. This is non negotiable." Jamie nodded and stood up as well.

***A couple hours later at the station, in the conference room.***

Hank was pacing around Alex's office. Jamie was sitting there watching him wide eyed. Hank never paced. Not that Jamie ever noticed. He stood up and grabbed Hank by the shoulder and forcibly sat him down on the couch.

"Hank, you can't turn back now. Your parents are waiting, the rest of the squad is waiting, Alex is waiting. I will be there next to you. Come on. It's now or never." Hank nodded and stood up and followed Jamie to the Conference. When they walked in, they noticed that everyone was silent. Jamie took on the chairs and sat in it up front facing everyone defiantly and Hank Sat on the desk.

"Are you alright Son? Your mother and I were a little alarmed to get a call from your friend Jamie. We had thought that something had happened on a call. " Hank looked at his father. It was on the tip of his tongue to simply say Yes Sir and move on. But Hank knew he couldn't lie anymore. He coughed into his hand.

"No. No Sir, I am not ok. I am in crisis here. That's why I had Jamie call all of you in here for this little get together. You all deserve to know. I am sorry that I worried you when Jamie called. I couldn't make the call myself. I would have chickened out." Hank took a deep breath and let it out slowly, noticing that he was shaking a little.

"I am so tired of everyone just dumping on me thinking that I have all the time in the world to fix all of their problems and solve my own. I love the active life I lead, sports, EMS, being there for my family school work, being a good friend. Something has got to change. I don't want to be dumped on anymore. I can't take it." He couldn't believe that he'd just blurted that all out.

He spent another hour and a half pouring out everything that was on his mind and heart. Everything that had been piling up and bothering him for the last 3 months. Everyone was listening. But the true test would come when they asked him for something. Would they constantly ask or would they ease up? He was startled by a nudge.

"Hank. We didn't realize that we were taking you for granted. You just always seemed to be the one person always around that we could ask to do something and we all felt that you honestly wanted to help out. The one person that was a true go getter. We're sorry. We promise to try and change." Alex said standing up and giving him a hug.

"There's more Alex. That was only a small part of it." Hank proceeded to tell them all about the call the the squad had gone on. Male on a rooftop possible jumper. It was the hardest thing that Hank had ever had to admit to in his life that the the male on the rooftop had been him. He thought his mother was going to faint.

After he was done. Alex told him to go to his office and that he and his parents would be in to speak privately with him in a few minutes. The others had hugged him on their way out for a call. Hank sat in the office alone and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He had done it. He could believe it. Now all that remained was to talk to his parents and Alex to come up with a solution to this problem. Hank felt for the first time in a really long time that everything was going to ease up and be alright. And he was ok with that.


End file.
